Tool for facilitating the removal and replacement of piston rings



C. H. MILES. TOOL FOR FACILITATING THE REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT 0F PISTON RINGS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, I920- Patented A r. 18, 1922. f 4

the Removal and aren't OFFECE.

Q CHARLES HENRY MILES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MILES PISTON RING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO,

Application filed May, 5,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. MILES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tools for Facilitating I Replacement of Piston Rings, of which the following isa specification. I

The inventionrelates to a tool which is particularly intended for use in garages and like places, and which is adapted to facilitate the removal and replacement of the packing rings of the pistons of internal'combustion engines. I

Considerable difficulty has been experienced in the past, by garage men and others who are frequently called upon to remove and replace piston rings, in accomplishing the removing and replacing operation, in that a disproportionately great amount of time has been necessarily consumed in the performance of a relatively small task, and further in that breakage and deformation of the rings frequently results.

The object of my invention is to provide 7 a tool which will overcome the difficulty referred to, and which is at the same time of an extremely simple construction so that it may be very cheaply manufactured.

The object of the invention thus generally stated, together with other and ancillary advantages, is attained by the construction and arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a piston showing the application of my improved tool thereto in the operation of placing the piston rings in their proper respective grooves in the piston. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing one method of using the tool in removing a ring from the piston. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the tool itself. Fig. a is a view illustrating the tool in a. form permitting of its insertion into a packageforshipment.

In the drawings, 7 designates a piston of any ordinary construction. having a plurality of grooves 8 for receiving piston rings 9.

The tool comprises a plurality of arms 10 pivotally connected together. Herein four arms 10 10', arms 10 and i0. and the arms 10 and 10, being preferably formed integral from two strips of metal respectively, and the two 10 and 10 are provided, the

ILLINOIS. A CORPORATION OF TENNESSEE.

REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT or rrsroiv nines! Specification of Letters Patent. Patented A131, 18, 1922.

1920. Serial No. 379,001.

strips being a rivet 11. Preferably the material employed in making the arms is spring. steel such as that commonly employed in making clock springs which is readilyfiexible and also of very little thickness. I

In the operation of placing the rings 9 upon the piston, the arms lOare bent and relatively arranged into the 'form shown" in Figfl, with the several'arms spaced apart substantially equidistantly around the piston and their free ends overlying the lowermost groove in the piston. In thus arranging the parts of the tool, one of the rings may be employed, the arms being first positioned at substantiallyright angles with reference to each other and then forced inwardly by drawing the tool through the ring. When the rings have been positioned over the grooves in which they are to beinserted, the tool is withdrawn from beneath the rings, permitting them to spring into place in the grooves. In Fig. 1 the tool is shown in the position in which the free ends of the arms 10 have been Withdrawn from their position over the lowermost groove 8, and the ring 9 has sprung into its groove. It will be seen that the several rings may be positioned in their respective grooves in a single operation.

In Fig. 2 one method of using the tool for removing a ring from the piston is shown. In this instance, the arms 10 and 10 are shown as inserted beneath the ring 9 at one side of the piston. This is followed by the insertion of the arm 10. beneath the piston pivotally connected by'means of at one side of the arm l0 and then the arm 10 is inserted between the arms 10 and 10. When the arms are thus inserted beneath the rings they may be separated in the direction of the arrows to occupy positions substantially equidistant from each other. In this separating operation it will be apparent that the ring is expanded sufficiently to permit of its removal from the piston.

It will be seen that the tool is capable of use with pistons having any number of grooves, and that the removal and replacement may be effected without in any way injuring the rings and with the greatest possible ease.

iVhile I have described certain ways of using the tool, it will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular method of employment. Moreover the invention is not intended to be limited 'to anyparticular number of arms and their relative arrangement, although it is preferred that four arms be employed and made from two strips of metal.

-As shown in Fig. 4: the tool readily lends itself to be assembled into a compact form for shipment, as for example with a set of rings. Thus the tool is shown with the two members from which the .tool is made swung into alinement and then coiled. To hold the parts in this position the ends may be tied as shown at 12. p

I I claim as my invention: 7

'1. A tool of the character described comprising a pair of metallic members or strips of substantially equal length pivotally conv nected together at their centers, said strips being made of spring steel or the like so'as to be readily flexible. I

2. A tool of the character described comprising a plurality of members pivotally connected together to provide a plurality of arms of substantially equal length, said members being made of spring steel or the like so as to be readily flexible.

3. A tool of the character described comprising a plurality of arms made of flexible material of relatively narrow width and slight thickness and connected together so that certain of the arms are movable with reference to certain other of the arms.

fl. A device for removing and installing piston rings comprising a spider composed of a plurality of pivotally connected spring arms. 7

y In testimony whereof, I have hereuntoset my hand.

CHARLES HENRY MILES. 

